Casino votes really do count: Local support key to project becoming a reality

Tuesday

Jul 24, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 24, 2007 at 11:16 AM

Experts and town leaders agree the tribe could build a casino on the 300-plus acres off Route 44, even if the town voted against it, but it would be a lot tougher.

By Elaine Allegrini

Kevin Gaudette is among voters still on the fence about a multi-million dollar casino deal for the town.

"This is a big deal," said Gaudette, 53. "If (the town) is going to change no matter what we do, then I'm going to vote for it. If I vote 'no' and we're not going to get anything at all, I need to know that."

The answer may not be that simple, but experts and town leaders agree the tribe could build a casino on the 300-plus acres off Route 44, even if the town voted against it.

But, they say it may not be practical because of the hurdles the tribe would face alone.

"The tribe wouldn't be so intent on negotiating this local agreement unless they knew it was important to the approval process," said Clyde Barrow, director of the U-Mass Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis.

He said town support is key to the process, particularly at the federal level where the determination is made on the sovereignty of the land.

Barrow, who has piloted the New England gaming research project at U-Mass Dartmouth, said the tribe is not totally in control, despite the image that is being projected.

"Town meeting, the governor, the governor's task force, the state legislature and the (federal) Bureau of Indian Affairs all have to weigh in on this," Barrow said. "I think there is uncertainty at every one of those levels right now."

Selectman Wayne Perkins predicted the tribe would get the federal designation without or without town support, but admitted, "I agree it would make life a lot easier for the tribe if they have use with them.

"However," he continued, "it's not impossible. That's a shell game I'm not willing to play."

He and others say if town meeting does not accept the agreement, the revenue and infrastructure improvements in the pact would not be guaranteed if the tribe does eventually get state and federal approval for a casino in town.

There are two levels to state approval: a pact with the governor that would bring casino revenue to the state coffers and legislative approval of class 3 gaming, something Massachusetts has so far resisted.

Nationally 29 states have Indian gaming, 23 of them have class 3 gaming.

"The reason is that class 2 gaming hasn't proven to be very lucrative to tribes," Barrow said.

Though the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe is confident it will win support from town meeting on Saturday, spokesman Scott Ferson said if the agreement is turned down, "The tribe would have to weigh its options."

Those options include moving forward with the request for a land trust, resuming talks in New Bedford where city leaders are said to be eager for a casino or looking to another community that opens itself to the concept.